Customs to set food importation guidelines next week

The Ministry of Finance is currently working out a framework that will guide the expected massive food imports – one of the federal government’s strategies to cushion the prevailing cost-of-living crisis across the country.

The framework will be ready next week, according to Adewale Adeniyi, comptroller general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), who spoke on Tuesday in Abuja during a joint press briefing by all the heads of security forces on the ongoing 10-day nationwide protest.

He said the set of guidelines – which includes zero tariffs on the importation of certain food items – is necessary in order not to hurt local production while trying to provide short-term relief to the widespread hunger in the country.

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Briefing journalists alongside other heads of security agencies led by Christopher Gwabin Musa, chief of defence staff, Adeniyi also assured of the effective implementation of the guidelines by the NCS.

President Tinubu had earlier last month approved a N2 trillion package to tackle food inflation and implement the government’s accelerated stabilisation and advancement plan.

Part of the plan is a 150-day duty free window to allow the importation of certain commodities — through land and sea borders — under the programme.

During his nationwide broadcast last Sunday morning, Tinubu reassured of his determination to remove tariffs and other import duties specifically on rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, drugs, and other pharmaceutical and medical supplies for the next six months, in the first instance, to help drive down food prices.

The government, he said, is also providing incentives to farmers to increase food production at affordable prices, amongst other measures to boost food production.

Nigeria is facing a food crisis. Food inflation reached 40.66 percent in May 2024 from 24.82 percent a year earlier, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Insecurity in food-belt areas is stalling food production across the country. Farms have been abandoned, with farmers seeking greener pastures elsewhere.

Food production has also been low. Data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security shows that Nigeria is the largest producer of yam with 40 million metric tons per annum, but yam demand in the country stands at 60 million metric tonnes per annum (MT), leaving a gap of 20 million MT.

Nigeria produces 42 million MT of cassava but has a demand of 53.8 million MT of the crop, leaving a gap of 11.8 million MT.

Nigeria’s production of Irish potato stands at 900,000 MT per annum but with a demand of 8 million MT and a gap of 7.1 million MT.

Similarly, local production of sweet potato is estimated at 1.2 million MT, while demand stands at 6 million MT, leaving a gap of 4.8 million MT.

More so, Nigeria produces 400,000 MT of wheat annually but with a demand of 4 million MT. This leaves a gap of 3.6million MT.

Maize production in the country is estimated at 10.5 million MT, but demand is 15 million MT, leaving a gap of 4.5 million MT.

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Local soybean production is estimated at 750,000 MT but domestic demand is 2 million MT, meaning there is a gap of 1.3 million MT.

Acha production stands at 78,000, but demand is 187,000 MT, showing a gap of 109,000 MT. Sesame production is put at 200,000 MT but demand is 600,000, leaving a gap of 400,000 MT.

Local shea nut production is estimated at 200,000 MT but demand is 1.4 million MT, implying there is a gap of 1.2 million MT. Castor production is 014,000 MT. However, demand was 510,000, leaving a gap of 496,000 MT.

“The only area that has changed since 2016 is rice. The fact is that production has been declining for many of the crops since 2016 owing to insecurity, herdsmen attacks, high input costs and low mechanisation,” said Ndubuisi Attah, managing director of Ebonyi State-based Ajah Farms, which produces rice and other crops.